From Sofia Vergara to Ryan Gosling: 12 Celebrity Heroes

It’s exciting to meet your favorite celebrities, but maybe not when you’re simultaneously fighting for your life. Imagine the adreneline going through your body. And is it okay to ask for an autograph later? I mean, they’ve already done so much…

Plenty of celebs have used their power and influence for good—to help someone in need. Sometimes, celebrity has nothing to do with it and it’s just a regular act of humanity, helping your fellow human being because it’s the right thing to do.
Today, we’re celebrating some heroic acts from some of our favorite celebrities.

Sofia Vergara: The Modern Family star rushed to help a young woman who collapsed outside the Bellagio at 3 am on New Year’s Eve. Sofia has some medical training, so she checked the woman’s pulse and stayed with her on the scene until paramedics arrived.

Tom Cruise: Tom Cruise is full of energy, and sometimes, he uses it for things that don’t involve ruining Oprah’s couch. Good things. In 1996, he witnessed a hit-and-run accident. He got an ambulance and paid the woman’s $7,000 ER bill after finding out she wasn’t insured. Then, later that year, Cruise was docked on his yacht when he noticed five people in the water as their sailboat burned and sank behind them. He brought his skiff over to rescue each one of them.

T.I.: T.I. was on his way to a recording studio in Atlanta when he heard a news report about a man standing on top of a building, threatening to commit suicide. The rapper contacted a radio station saying that he was located in the building, and he recorded a video for the man, saying: "Nothing is that bad. Nothing in life is worth taking your life. I'm here to help you. Please come down to talk to me." Sure enough, after being shown the video, the man got off the ledge and went inside to talk to the rapper.

Harrison Ford: A licensed pilot, Ford rescued two female hikers in 2000 after one of them became ill. The next year, he air-lifted a Boy Scout to safety after the kid got lost in Yellowstone National Park. Imagine! Getting rescued by Han Solo. Sans Chewbacca, but still.

Channing Tatum: Tatum was on his way to an interview in L.A. when he noticed a woman trying to push her car down an exit ramp. The car was smoking and there was a child in the back. Tatum got the kid out of the car and called a tow truck company. Channing’s chauffer then helped the lady with some repairs and the actor gave her $100 for additional repairs.

Garth Brooks: Two young brothers heard a banging at their door when they were home alone. Upon opening it, they realized it was country star Garth Brooks (or Chris Gaines, if rock is more your thing). Brooks was warning them of an out-of-control grass fire that was heading their way. The boys jumped in Brooks’ truck and he drove them through the thick smoke to safety.

Demi Moore: Sure, Demi Moore likes to Tweet plenty of pictures of herself reminding us that she looks ridiculously young for her age. But she also uses Twitter to do good. When two different Twitter followers said they r were planning to commit suicide, Moore began conversing with both and got them professional help.

Sean Penn: During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Sean Penn went down to New Orleans and personally grabbed people out of the water in a motorboat. According to witnesses, Penn transported about 40 people stuck in their flooded homes to safety and made she they got medical care.

Ryan Gosling: While walking down the street in NYC, Ryan Gosling spotted a fight between a street vendor and a man. Gosling stepped in and stopped it, without saying a word. He gave the vendor $20 to end the dispute, which was over a $10 painting, and the world was a better place.

Kate Winslet: While Winslet was staying on Richard Branson’s lavish home on Necker Island, lighting struck the house. Kate fled with her children before realizing that Branson’s 90 year-old mother was still inside. Winslet went in and scooped up the woman, bringing her out of the house to safety.
"It was like being on a film set where you're waiting for the words 'cut' but they just don't come,” Winslet said of her experience.

Arnold Schwarzenegger: Gotta use those muscles for something, it might as well be saving someone’s life. While vacationing in Hawaii, Arnold noticed a man struggling in the water. Schwarzenegger swam over to the man who said he was having cramps and couldn’t swim. Arnold helped him back to shore.

Vin Diesel: While riding his motorcycle around Hollywood, the car in front of Vin Diesel lost control, rolled, and burst into flames. Diesel stopped his bike, ran to the car and pulled two kids from the backseat. All those action movies must’ve come in handy.